香港特別行政區
Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
Flag Emblem

 
Official languages Chinese, English[1]
Demonym Hongkonger
Government
 -  Chief Executive Sir Donald Tsang
Establishment
 -  Treaty of Nanking 29 August 1842 
 -  Japanese occupation 25 December 1941 –
15 August 1945 
 -  Transfer of sovereignty 1 July 1997 
Area
 -  Total 1,104 kmē (183rd)
426 sq mi 
 -  Water (%) 4.6
Population
 -  2007 estimate 6,963,100[2] (98th)
 -  2001 census 6,708,389 
 -  Density 6,352/kmē (4th)
16,469/sq mi
GDP (PPP) 2007 estimate
 -  Total US$292.8 billion (38th)
 -  Per capita US$41,994 (10th)
GDP (nominal) 2007 estimate
 -  Total US$206.7 billion (37th)
 -  Per capita US$29,650 (27th)
Gini (2007) 53.3[3] 
HDI (2007) ▲ 0.937 (high) (21st)
Currency Hong Kong dollar (HKD)
Time zone HKT (UTC+8)
Internet TLD .hk
Calling code +852
   

Hong Kong (Chinese: 香港 [pronunciation]), officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region[4], is a territory located on China's south coast, bordering Guangdong in the north and the South China Sea in the east, west and south. Along with Macau, Hong Kong is one of the two special administrative regions of the People's Republic of China.

Hong Kong was a dependent territory of the United Kingdom from 1842 until the transfer of its sovereignty to the People's Republic of China in 1997. The Sino-British Joint Declaration and the Basic Law of Hong Kong stipulate that Hong Kong operate with a high degree of autonomy until 2047, fifty years after the transfer. Under the "one country, two systems" policy, the Chinese government is responsible for the territory's defence and foreign affairs, while Hong Kong maintains its own legal system, police force, monetary system, customs policy, immigration policy, and delegates to some international organisations and events.

Beginning as a trading port, Hong Kong emerged as a leading financial centre in the late 20th century. Its highly capitalist economy is heavily based on service industries, and thrives under a long-standing policy of government non-intervention. Although the population is predominantly Chinese, residents and expatriates of other ethnicities form a small but significant segment of society. Influenced by both Eastern and Western cultures, Hong Kong's multicultural identity is reflected in its cuisine, cinema and music.